Some of you will
recognize the
above title from
a western song
of the
mid-thirties. It
has been made
popular by Roy
Rogers, Kate
Smith, Bing
Crosby and The
Andrews Sisters,
Ella Fitzgerald,
Gene Autry, Eddy
Arnold, Willie
Nelson and
others.

That being said,
let’s just
concentrate on
the title,
“Don’t Fence Me
In” not as a
song, but as a
statement
projected by
rebellious
mankind.

Have you ever
noticed that
animals that are
fenced in often
yearn to be
freed from their
fenced in area?
Obviously this
is so, or there
would be no need
for the fence.

Could this same
desire also
apply to human
beings? I think
it does. For
example, anyone
incarcerated in
prison would
certainly rather
be free. Those
who work for a
living look
forward to the
end of the work
day so they can
go home. Young
children will
leave the safety
of their own
yard if they are
not supervised.
School children
long for the
last bell of the
day which means
it’s time to go
home. So whether
we are in a
pleasant
environment or
an unpleasant
environment,
there is still
that longing to
be free to go
where we choose
and do what we
like.

Some men feel
fenced-in, or
trapped if they
have to go
shopping with
their wife. A
woman may
experience the
same smothering
feeling if
confined to an
all-day event of
televised ball
games.

Is it possible
that we are all
just striving to
make that need
for independence
a reality in our
lives?

Why do children,
especially
teenagers, go
through a
“rebellious”
stage in their
lives? They want
to be
independent.
Some even want
to “have their
cake and eat it
too” by being
dependent on
their parents
for financial
well-being, but
independent in
making their own
decisions.

I think the
bottom line is;
whether we refer
to animals or
human beings, we
all want to be
free to do as we
please.
Unfortunately,
that never
works. Why?
Because bad
decisions often
cause problems
for those making
the decisions
for themselves,
and for others
affected by
their decisions.
That is why we
have laws, rules
and/or fences.

All humans are
indwelt with a
soul. Because of
sin, that soul
is always
searching for
satisfaction,
thinking
personal
satisfaction can
only come by our
being free to
“do our own
thing.”

God sees it
differently.
Jesus said,

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye
shall be free
indeed.”
(John 8:36)

We are never
actually free
until we submit
our independence
to Jesus Christ
and depend
totally upon
Him. Then we are
no longer fenced
in.

Apostasy has
brought to our
generation the
idea of
submitting some
of our
independence to
Jesus but
keeping some for
ourselves.
Remember the
children I
mentioned
earlier who want
the financial
support of their
parents but want
to make their
own decisions
about everything
else?

Many people
today want to
say, “I’m a
Christian” but
it’s my business
if I choose to
live with
someone else,
sexually,
outside of
marriage. “I’m a
Christian” but
it’s my body to
do with as I
please. “I’m a
Christian” but
it’s my business
if I cheat, lie,
or steal.

If you really
are a Christian,
these words are
for you.

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore
glorify God in
your body, and
in your spirit,
which are God's.”
(1 Corinthians
6:20)

“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the
servants of men.”
(1 Corinthians
7:23)

“What? know ye not that your body is the
temple of the
Holy Ghost which
is in you, which
ye have of God,
and ye are not
your own?”
(1 Corinthians
6:19)

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the
faith; prove
your own selves.
Know ye not your
own selves, how
that Jesus
Christ is in
you, except ye
be reprobates?”
(2 Corinthians
13:5)

If you are
cattle fenced in
a pasture, you
are not your
own. You belong
to an owner, a
master.

If you are a dog
in a fenced in
lot, you are not
your own. You
belong to an
owner, a master.

If you really
are a Christian,
you are not your
own. You belong
to an Owner, a
Master. However,
the difference
in this case is,
whether you
realize it or
not, you are
truly free.

When we live for
self, we are a
prisoner to sin
and its
originator,
Satan. When we
try to obey the
Law to obtain
righteousness,
we are a
prisoner to the
Law. When we
obey Christ, we
are a faithful
servant who is
“free indeed.”
We are His
friend.

“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I
command you.”
(John 15:14)

As good parents
would never give
harmful
instruction to
their children,
God certainly
would never lead
us astray. When
we obey Him, we
are free to
enjoy life to
its fullest,
knowing that He
would never ask
of us anything
that would harm
us.

BUT … you say,
don’t Christians
suffer? Yes. And
God’s response
is:

“And we know that all things work together
for good to them
that love God,
to them who are
the called
according to his
purpose.”
(Romans 8:28)

This world is
not our home. We
are fenced in
and bound by
Satan’s
restrictions,
but in Jesus the
fence has been
removed. We are
free to follow
Him wherever He
leads us, no
fences, and He
is always with
us.

In these earthly
bodies, we think
too much in
earthly terms,
and need to
allow God to
change our
thought pattern
to thinking in
spiritual terms.
We can’t always
understand why
some things
happen to us,
but if we just
trust Him,
everything will
work out “to
His purpose.”

The teenager may
think his/her
parents are
being cruel by
restraining them
from one area
and guiding them
toward another,
but they will
understand when
they get older.
When we reach
our full
maturity in
Heaven, we will
understand and
see all things
in a different
light.

If you feel
fenced-in in
your life and
are not a
Christian, you
will never enjoy
freedom until
you come to know
Jesus Christ as
your personal
Savior. Then you
can enjoy true
freedom.

If you are a
Christian and
have these
feelings of
being fenced-in,
your Savior is
waiting to be
your Lord. Only
when He is your
Lord do you then
experience true
and everlasting
freedom. No more
fences, just joy
in serving Him.
As His child you
were free all
along, but when
you submit “all”
of your
independence to
Him and trust
Him, you
experience that
freedom.

Until we are a
servant, a
bond-servant no
less (the
lowliest of
servants), of
Christ, we are
not free.
However, by our
submitting our
will to His, we
are then free.
This certainly
sounds like an
oxymoron, but it
isn’t. It’s
Biblical. It’s
the only way for
the fences to be
torn down and be
truly free.